The 8 best smart speakers, tested by the technology experts at Esquire
Most smart home devices are overrated and underestimated, but the feeling of telling your house the name of the song you want to play and then hearing it a second later? Never gets old. That’s why speakers are getting smarter and smarter as the years go by.
Speech recognition—or natural language processing (NLP, to be technical)—is a mind-blowing technology. A computer turns language, what we think defines humans, into zeros and ones. We teach computers grammar, morphemes, and phonemes just so we can say, “Alexa, add cat litter to the shopping list,” and it does it. But which smart speaker does it best? Most of us know that it comes down to speakers working in reverse, turning zeros and ones into noise. Sorry, is that too conceptual?
Whether you’re a diehard Alexa fan, a Google Assistant devotee, or just don’t care what disembodied voice you speak to, our tech experts have found a smart speaker for you. Through our own experience, we’ve determined which smart speakers are currently the best, whether you want a good assistant or a good speaker.
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Each product has been carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.
Sonos, Lowe’s
Best smart speaker overall
Sonos One 100
This is the most versatile choice for a smart speaker because it’s not beholden to any of the big three brands. It’s also a better speaker than anything Google or Amazon have ever made. That makes sense because Sonos is an audio company and always has been. Google and Amazon are technology companies.
The Sonos Era has been our favorite smart speaker for years for a few simple reasons. It works with every voice assistant we’ve tested (we didn’t try Cortana, unfortunately), and the sound is excellent for the price. Sonos makes it easy to connect to other Sonos devices, so a multi-speaker setup is always just a click away.
Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB
Weight
4.45 pounds
Mass
7″x5.1″x7.22″
Voice assistants
Sonos voice control, Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant
Best Google Assistant Speaker
Google Nest Audio
If there’s anything to love about Google’s Nest Audio speaker, it’s its simplicity. For us, though, that means there’s not a lot to talk about. This is a small speaker with enough sound to fill a room. It has good highs and decent lows, and the sound supposedly conforms to the contours of your room. Once you leave the room, things get dicey in terms of both volume and responsiveness.
You can use Google Assistant to play, just ask it for the weather, or use it to relay messages to other Nests in the house. These are the things that make your home feel truly smart.
Connections
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Weight
2.65 pounds
Mass
3.10″x4.90″x6.90″
Voice assistants
Google Assistant
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Best portable smart speaker
Sonos One
If all this smart home gibberish doesn’t help you and you just want a speaker you can talk to, your next purchase should be a Sonos Roam. It’s a great speaker, portable, and perfect for beach trips and pool parties.
This is primarily a speaker that you’ll be using to stream music from your phone. Otherwise, it has no direct connection. Knowing that any of your guests can tell the speaker to skip or select any song from your library is a risk worth taking. Make the Roam 2 your portable jukebox this summer.
Connectivity
WiFi, Bluetooth
Weight
0.92 pounds
Mass
2.44″x2.32″x6.61″
Voice assistants
Sonos voice control, Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant
Best sounding smart speaker
Sonos One 200
Per
Rocky bass
Spatial Dolby Atmos sound
Permanently
Disadvantages
Large and the shape is unfavorable
Sonos delivers yet again with its latest smart speaker to hit stores, digital or otherwise. The Sonos Era 300 is a powerhouse of a speaker. But it’s also big and a bit bulky. Unlike the Roam, this Sonos speaker isn’t going anywhere. It stays at home and gives you cinematic experiences from the comfort of your couch.
Featuring Dolby Atmos, this speaker imitates surround sound flawlessly. Whether you’re hosting a house party or movie night, the mood is almost certain to be enhanced by the Era 300.
Connectivity
WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
Weight
9.85 pounds
Mass
6.3″x10.24″x7.28″
Voice assistants
Sonos voice control, Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant
Best small smart speaker
Google Nest Mini 2nd Generation
If you want a smart speaker that you can stash under the couch cushion, Google is the way to go. While the Nest Mini won’t blow your mind, it’s a pleasant, unobtrusive addition to your home that can keep you entertained while you make dinner or do the dishes.
This is a responsive smart speaker that’s easy to use, especially if you already have Google devices or a Pixel phone. The price doesn’t hurt, either.
Connections
Bluetooth
Weight
1.6 pounds
Mass
4″x4″x2″
Voice assistants
Google Assistant
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Honorable Mentions
Amazon Echo (5th generation) – I know I just said that all other Echo speakers are crap, but I’ll make an exception for the latest Echo. It’s decent and easy to recommend for $50 – especially if this is your entry into the world of smart homes. $50 at Amazon.
Apple HomePod Mini– It’s OK. If you’re a diehard Apple fan, it’s probably worth a try. $99 at B&H Photo.
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What to look for when buying smart speakers
Finding the right smart speaker for you without being able to test it is a difficult task, so we did the testing for you. Overall, we found that this is the most important thing to look out for.
What devices you already have at home: This is perhaps the most important factor when deciding between a Nest and an Echo. Building on an existing ecosystem allows you to take advantage of the device’s unique features.
Size: First, choose the location of your smart speaker. Then, select one that fits the room and blends well with your decor.
Aesthetics: Don’t put anything ugly in your home, no matter how cool the technology sounds. It’s not worth it.
Why trust Esquire?
Here at Esquire, we have a long history of researching, testing and scrutinising products. The magazine has been covering men’s fashion for decades and it’s this ethos that allows us to recommend the best products. best technology for your hard-earned money. When it comes to electronics, we know what our readers are really looking for: products that they want to use for many years. From cheap headphones to more expensive necessities such as portable air conditionersthe products we highlight on Esquire are the ones we truly love using the most.